Likely to arrive as something of a left-field bombshell for the majority of unsuspecting gamers presently stewing amid heavy gaming sessions with the current crop of sequel juggernauts, Bayonetta could - and should - breathe fresh life into the ailing Japanese action genre. An unrivalled showcase of imagination and creativity, Bayonetta is potentially 2010's game of the year before 2009 has even ended.

So sure, if you look hard enough you can pick at occasional cobwebs from the Devil May Cry school of design, but really, this is as good as action games get. It controls like a dream, is extremely well balanced (not terribly difficult on Normal and incredibly challenging on Hard), has tons of variety, features great retro game references, contains tons of unlockables and challenges to keep you busy after you finish the story, and when it comes down to it, is the best game Sega has published in years.

Bayonetta is the kind of game that makes me appreciate why I love videogames. It really defines a time when things were not taken too seriously and the focus was more on style and gameplay than anything else. The outlandish boss battles and over-the-top action really make this game stand out amongst its peers. It also helps that the action has been so finely tuned that gamers of any skill can pick it up and feel satisfied. Bayonetta is one of the most interesting game characters to be introduced in a long time. I just hope she manages to stick around longer enough to get a proper sequel.

Bayonetta might look like just another hack and slash endeavour but it’s so much more than that. It’s a game that just becomes more and more addictive with each passing battle, pushing you to work harder and invest in a rewarding combat system.These elements and more push Bayonetta above and beyond the big name franchises of the genre, and they know who they are.

Bayonetta is an action game fan’s wet dream. Despite a derivative structure and a few technical stumbles—like occasional slowdown and frequent screen tearing—Bayonetta takes everything that’s good about every other combo-heavy action game, cranks up the intensity, fine tunes the combat, and bundles it in a single, sexy, “au naturel” package.

Although Bayonetta has more than a few similarities to Devil May Cry, I believe that this game is worth playing... but it's hard to recommend the PS3 version when the 360 version is so much better. Even when you consider the fantastic combat system, the slowdown and load times really do spoil the fun.
With that said, Bayonetta is still stylish, entertaining and unique. If you have no other choice but to purchase the PS3 version, you'll still get a kick out of it. Just be ready to be exorbitantly patient.

Though frame rate issues, frequent and extended load times, and less-crisp graphics make the PlayStation 3 version inferior to its Xbox 360 counterpart, it is nonetheless still a very enjoyable experience. Combat controls feel natural and responsive from the very first moment you experience them, and the magic remains throughout the journey; whether you're throwing a bus at a boss or hitching a ride on a ballistic missile. Chock-full of often silly but always memorable moments, Bayonetta can stay with you even after you've stopped playing it. Regardless of which version you play, its host of hidden items and secrets, multiple difficulties, competitively balanced scoring system, and charismatic heroine make Bayonetta a game that will be revisited time and time again.

Ultimately despite of the unduly harsh criticism that surrounds this version, there is no denying the quality of Bayonetta even when the storyline becomes a little too spun out for our taste. This is a release that will entertain and challenge way beyond 2010.

The dodging mechanics offer an interesting way to approach a battle, even if it’s woefully underutilized in the regular level sections. Since the unlockable stuff requires a lot in-game cash, you’ll have plenty of incentive to keep replaying. The subpar graphics and loading times detract from the experience, though. The jumbled mess of the story doesn’t help, either. Despite such flaws, the game works well overall. You’ll never see the same kind of cheesy and unapologetic sexuality, dark humor, and mind-boggling action sequences that you will in this game. Bayonetta isn’t perfect, but it’s still damned good.

I wrote this review without a single eye towards which version is the better one. Did you notice that in this entire review I didn't mention how badly Sega dropped the ball on porting this game to the PS3? If they can make an underappreciated masterpiece like Valkiria Chronicles, then why did they mess up the PS3 port so badly? The PS3 is old enough now that this type of mess-up is inexcusable. Sega should be ashamed of themselves.